Connectome, a neurotech startup focused on personalized cognitive health monitoring, has raised $2 million in pre-seed funding to advance its platform for tracking brain function over time. The company, based in Zurich and London, aims to make brain health measurable and actionable by shifting away from one-time cognitive tests toward continuous, longitudinal monitoring.
The funding round was led by Redstone, with participation from Concept Ventures and Octopus. The round also included more than $115,000 in non-dilutive public funding, signaling early institutional confidence in the company’s approach.
Founded in 2024 by neuroscientists Lucas Scherdel and Dr Rufus Mitchell-Heggs, Connectome is addressing what it sees as a major gap between advancements in physical health tracking and the limited tools available for monitoring brain health. The company argues that cognitive decline often develops silently over time, making early detection difficult with traditional snapshot-based assessments.
Connectome’s platform measures brain activity repeatedly to build individualized baselines, enabling the detection of subtle cognitive changes. By integrating neural data with lifestyle factors such as sleep and activity, the system provides contextual insights into why cognitive performance shifts, rather than simply identifying that changes have occurred.
The technology builds on research from Imperial College London, including the LUCID study, which demonstrated that everyday behaviors create measurable patterns in brain activity. This scientific foundation allows Connectome to extend brain monitoring beyond clinical environments into real-world settings.
The company’s approach centers on mapping how brain activity evolves over time, particularly as it relates to neurological conditions such as ADHD and dementia. By tracking deviations from an individual’s normal cognitive range, the platform aims to enable earlier detection and more informed decision-making for both consumers and researchers.
With the new funding, Connectome plans to roll out its product with select partners while continuing to expand research and development. The company also intends to broaden its applications beyond lifestyle and wearable integrations into more comprehensive health and diagnostic use cases.
KEY QUOTE:
“Cognitive capacity underpins how we think, work, relate, and age, yet it remains poorly understood. Evidence shows cognitive health is quietly deteriorating at scale, with rising burnout, brain fog, and attention and memory issues, especially among younger generations. Understanding the brain is no longer a niche concern, it is essential to human wellbeing and societal resilience.”
Lucas Scherdel, Co-Founder and CEO, Connectome
